57th annual Irish celebration

By Ben Revermann

Staff writer

The Irish American Club of Southern Minnesota presented the 2025 Miss St. Patrick and Miss Irish Rose pageant the evening of Saturday, March 15. Stella Ziemke of Mankato was crowned as Miss St. Patrick and Lilly Quast of JWP as Miss Irish Rose. The venue was the Mill Event Center in Waseca, which was richly decorated in green streamers, shamrocks, and Irish wear.

Clare Miller was Emcee, last year’s royalty Ava Appel and Layla Keith all presented the winners. There was time for pictures afterwards, both on the stage and at the photo booths. Both ladies spent time taking pictures with anyone who asked. This contest has been in operation since 1968, with the first Miss St. Patrick crowned in 1969. The Miss Irish Rose title began in 1975. The emcee and queen candidate coordinator was Clare Miller. Last year’s royalty included Miss St. Patrick 2024 Ava Appel, daughter of Sheila Jewison and Jesse Appel. Miss Irish Rose 2024, Layla Keith, daughter of Muriah Miller Keith and Joe Keith. Miss Keith was quick to point out her mother was Miss Irish Rose 1994, “I’m following in my mother’s footsteps.”

This year’s 2025 queen contestants included:

Grace Groh, graduation year 2026, a junior from Janesville Waldorf Pemberton, JWP, parents Theresa and Peter Groh. She performed a self-composed monologue, here is just a taste, “Cherish the heritage you come from. Honor the community you belong to.”

Kwynn Elizabeth Krause, graduation year 2026, a junior from JWP, parents Andy and Beth Krause. For her performance she invited children to the stage and read a children’s book for them.

Bella Gerdts, graduation year 2026, a junior from John Marshall High School in Rochester, parents Doug Gerdts and Dawn Kelling. She played a song on her Irish fiddle. Bella was born with pulmonary atresia; she is most proud of having survived that.

Lilly Quast, graduation year 2026, a junior at JWP, parents Catalina and Curt Quast; two brothers Colt and Jett, 13, and Indi, 8. Said Quast, “My great great grandmother Katherine ‘Kitty’ Cahill Jewison was one hundred percent Irish. Her family emigrated from Moyne in County Tipperary of Ireland in the 1840s.” For honors, she’s been on the A Honor Roll five times, Spotlight on Scholarship eight times, Academic All Conference six times, Academic Letterwinner two times. She’s also won the Leadership Award, Outstanding Academic Achievement, Gopher Conference Honor Band and the Winona State Honor Band. Her favorite subject in school is math, said Quast, “I would like to become an elementary school teacher, forming bonds and spending time with kids makes me happy.” For her performance she read a self-written speech, quote, “Storytime has shaped not only my family, but the whole community together.” She also played the Irish song ‘Danny Boy’ on her bass clarinet.

Stella Ziemke, graduation year 2027, a sophomore at Loyola Catholic School in Mankato. Her  parents are Joe and Kristin Ziemke, brother Louis, 12, and Julia, 3. Her favorite subject in school is biology, she would like to pursue a job in the medical field. She plays volleyball in the fall and is in a summer volleyball league. Of being Irish she said, “On my mom’s side, her maternal grandmother’s maiden name was Duncan, and she was of Irish descent. On my dad’s side, his maternal great grandmother was Irish, her maiden name being Smith.” An entrepreneur who started her own business in 2023 teaching a small group of students how to play piano, which has given her real world experience running a business. Spare time is spent playing piano, singing, drawing, thrifting, traveling, having Bible studies and going out with friends and family.  She is also in competitive dance at Dance Express all year round. Her Grandma Vicki was crowned the very first Miss Irish Ross in 1975. For Stella’s talent she sang and played a piano Irish lullaby, “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral.”